The Committee on Labor, Demographic and Social Policy in the National Assembly adopted on the first vote changes to the Labor Code, regulating general principles and possible initiatives that the state and social partners can take to promote collective bargaining. The amendments to the Bulgarian legislation introduce the requirements of Art. 4 of the Directive on adequate minimum wages in the European Union.
„Collective bargaining is the basis of modern labor relations and an important mechanism for improving working conditions. It provides an opportunity for their adaptation to changing socio-economic conditions, including ensuring the adequacy of wages“, emphasized the Minister of Labor and Social Policy Natalia Efremova. She recalled that in the period 2011 – 2024, a downward trend in the number of effective collective labor agreements in Bulgaria is observed. The main reason for this is the change in the structure of the labor market and the increased number of micro- and small enterprises, in which collective labor agreements are rarely concluded. Therefore, the changes place emphasis on collective bargaining at the sector or branch level, where sector and branch organizations that unite employers of different sizes and trade union organizations participate in the negotiations.
The changes to the Labor Code create a new authority for the General Labor Inspectorate, which will control the implementation of obligations under a collective labor agreement concluded at the sector or branch level. At the same time, a requirement is being introduced for the recognition of the national representativeness of employer and trade union organizations, whose statutes should provide for participation in tripartite cooperation and encouragement of their members to participate in collective bargaining.
Minister Efremova recalled that the changes were developed by a working group at the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy (MLSP), in which nationally representative organizations of workers and employees and employers also participated. This took over two years. “The entire time, the MLSP was looking for a balance between the two interests - of workers and employees and of employers, in order to find the most correct and optimal solutions“, commented the Minister of Social Affairs.